Discovered at a music festival—waiting to witness the magic of fellow V cover star Lana Del Rey at England’s Reading Festival—Jacqui Hooper has been walking to her own beat ever since as one of London’s most exciting faces to grace the industry. Channeling muses of the 1960s and 1970s like Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull, and Nico, Jacqui brings a free spirit to every runway. 

V: What do you want people to know about modeling that you don’t think they do?

Jacqui Hooper: Whenever you see me walk on the runway, there’s a good chance I’m not actually wearing my real shoe size! I think people assume everything arrives perfectly fitted, but a huge part of modeling is adapting quickly behind the scenes with samples, fittings, and last-minute changes. It always amazes me how the teams pull everything together and make it look so effortless on the runway.

V: How do you think modeling will change moving forward?

JH: I hope there’s even more inclusivity moving forward, and weirdly I think AI might actually push things in that direction. People are being shown so much that doesn’t feel real or relatable, so I think it will make people appreciate seeing real human beings and individuality even more.

V: What does growth mean to you as a person and as a model?

JH: Growth for me means taking risks and doing things that scare you a little. Whenever I step outside my comfort zone, I always learn the most about myself. That’s actually how I started modeling — I was scouted at a festival and took the risk of starting this career while still at university. It pushed me so far out of my comfort zone, but it helped me grow a lot personally and professionally.

This cover story appears in the pages of V161: now available for purchase!

Photography Luigi & Iango

Fashion B. Åkerlund

Creative Director / Editor-in-Chief Stephen Gan

Model Jacqui Hooper (NEXT)

Casting Maxime Valentini (2b Management)

Makeup Georgi Sandev (Forward Artists) 

Hair Lauren Berrones (Home Agency) 

Manicure Leanne Woodley (See Management) using CND

Fashion Market Editor Copelyn Bengel

Styling Support Elanur Erdoğan (Forward Artists)

Producer Louis Guillemain (2b Management)

Cinematographer Santiago Montes

Photo Assistant Francisco Betancourt

Makeup Assistants Chloe Yang, Jack Titcomb

Fashion Assistant Evan James

Production Assistants Juliet Lloyd, Angelina Aliano, Maksim Doraev